I accompanied Theresa down a long, gently descending staircase, and halfway down the staircase was covered with grass, and before my eyes, even though I should have gone underground, I saw a field filled with light.

　This is Akebono's Field - a labyrinthine scene that far surpasses anything I've ever heard of.

　It's not an entire field, with trees growing here and there. The license screen switched over to a map showing the surrounding terrain.

　One layer was so large that one might not be able to traverse it even after a day of walking around. It was unlikely that spaces like this could be spread out all over the city's basement, which is why they were sent to a labyrinth elsewhere on their way down those stairs.

'Watadama........... If you're going to call me a small fry, then there's that.......

　Theresia walks ahead and heads in the direction I want to go without me saying a word. As I was walking while looking around, Theresia suddenly stopped and held up her shortsword and buckler.

　◆The demon I encountered ◆

　Watadama: Level 1 Vigilance Drop: ?

　A cute, fluffy, plush looking animal emerged from the shadows of the grass.

　Looking at its license display, it seems to be in a state of 'vigilance'. The fact that it appears to be slightly reddening means that it is angry--or

　Just as I was thinking that, it was just as I was thinking that.

''Huh........!

　--Watadama, who was bouncing, suddenly and furiously pounced on Theresia.

　Theresia sets up her buckler and catches Watadama's tackle. I can't believe my ears when I hear that tremendous impact sound. An explosive sound pierced my eardrums, capable of destroying the buckler with a single blow.

(That's not funny........the attack of the weakest small fry is this powerful.......!

　But Theresia had almost completely offset the impact with her buckler, and when she ran her gaze over the red bar under her name on her license, it was only reduced by about twenty percent of the total.

　But there was not a shred of reassurance, as her strength - life itself - was being reduced.

　Then the staggered Theresa bravely thrusts at Watadama with her sword, but it's not enough to finish him off with a single blow, Watadama blows up and lands, then strikes back with terrifying speed.



Teresa, I'll help you.

　Behind Theresia's shield at the ready, I'm conscious of protecting her. The use of the skill was naturally understood when I acquired it.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Aricht's 'Supportive Defense 1' is activated → Target: Theresa

　The first time was a bone-shattering sound if taken properly - but the second time was different.

　Just before it reached Theresia, Watadama was bounced off of something and bounced away.

　She couldn't see it clearly from behind Theresia, but it was as if a transparent barrier had appeared in front of her. She doesn't seem to understand what happened either, and stands on a stick for a moment.

'Theresia, set it off after I shoot!
.....

　I jumped out from behind Theresa and guarded the sling and fired at Watadama. While I can't even waste a single shot, the blow catches Watadama's body.

''--!

　Theresia, after all, doesn't speak even with a stopping blow. She fleshes out Watadama, who stopped moving for a moment after being hit by a sling bullet, and flashes a short sword.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Alihit's attack on Watadama
　Theresa's attack on the Watadama
　Defeat one Watadama.

...or did you...?

　Theresia looked back at me and nodded at me. As I approached the motionless watadama, I saw that it was a small animal that looked like a rat covered in long body hair.　

　However, its face was quite vicious when viewed up close. No matter how ferocious it is, if it looks like a lapdog, I'll feel guilty when I defeat it, so I'm glad it looks like a demon.

'I'm sorry, Theresa. If only you could have used my skills from the beginning....

　Theresa didn't answer - or so I thought, but she gave a small shake of her head. It means that I can not only say yes, but I can also say no. I'm just obeying my employer, me, if you ask me.

　If I had the skills, I would be able to take the material from Watadama and bring that much back, but I can't do that, so I put it straight into a leather bag. If I take it to the "Demon Dismantler", will I get the money for the sling's bullets back - or should I take it out and reuse it at first, since the bullets are buried in it? We'll have to be thrifty before we have any chance of earning it.

"Theresa, how's your wound?　I'm going to go out and recover...

　Theresa shakes her head. It's still okay, it seems.

　-- and I notice. The second hit that Theresia received seems to have been able to reduce the damage with my skills, after all, and it didn't reduce her strength at all.

(If Watadama attacked Theresia, her damage was less than 10. Whether that's 1 or just barely nullified the 10 damage, the value of 'Support Defense 1' will be very different...)

　I'll have to test my skills a bit more, but as expected, I can't ask Teresia to try to take on an enemy stronger than Watadama. However, even though they were small fry, just knowing that I could take out a Watadama that hit me with such a strong body hit with no damage was a harvest. It would depend on the efficiency of the Watadama when it was exchanged for cash, but we could choose to make this our hunting ground for a while.

'Then let's look for a few more of them to hunt.

　Theresia nodded her head in a persistent nod. And that's when she started walking towards the large tree a little further away.

''-- Kyaaaah!
'Whoa!　Hey, it's 'named'!

　A woman's scream - that was the Chief's voice. And the other voice I heard was the voice of a senior explorer who confidently said he would be a guide in the guild.

''Not good........Let's go, Theresa!

　I run out in the direction where I heard the voice. Then, on the other side of the blind spot, hidden by a large tree, he sees the searchers fleeing after being driven away by someone. The Chief is quick on his feet, but the other new man is slow to escape.

　A bright red watadama that bore no resemblance to a normal watadama. It was chasing after the fleeing explorers at a terrific pace and was about to take a bite out of them.